Carl Scully Wag Transport revenue Minister Too Busy to Meet Truckies - Ford Forums - Mustang Forum, Ford Trucks, Ford Focus and Ford Cars

Aussie Pete · 12-02-2002, 15:00

From The Australian newspaper:

/QUOTE/
"TRUCK drivers have seized control of a narrow bridge on the Hume Highway near Gundagai in New South Wales and created a blockade causing traffic chaos.

The truckies, part of The Long Distance Owners/Drivers group, were protesting against poor working conditions, a spokesman for the Traffic Management Centre said.

They were allowing cars across The Sheahan Bridge, but no trucks or buses, the spokesman said.

Gundagai Police were at the scene.

A single B-Double was parked horizontally across the two-way Sheahan bridge which runs over the Murrumbidgee River, a NSW police spokesman said.

Other trucks were also parked near the blockade.

Cars and light traffic could use the wooden Prince Alfred bridge nearby, but all heavy vehicles have been deemed too heavy to cross, the spokesman said.

Heavy traffic heading north was diverted at Albury onto the Olympic Highway and via Cootamundra, while southbound traffic was told to pull off at Coolac and go through Cootamundra and onto the Olympic Highway.

"Police have been talking to the truckers and asking them to move on," the police spokesman said.

The group have apparently taken control of the 1.1km bridge in protest at bad working conditions.

"For some time this group have attempted to make contact with the Minister for Transport, Carl Scully," the traffic management spokesman said.

"They are dissatisfied with the working conditions of the heavy haulage industry.

"For some reason that meeting has not taken place so these truck drivers have set up this blockade and the local police in Gundagai are keeping the peace."
/UNQUOTE/

Seems Carl Scully and his cronies aren't interested in meeting these drivers who obviously believe there is reform needed to improve the conditions (and therefore safety) of the truck industry. Instead, if you visit the RTA website you will find a whole new range of penalties for speeding heavy vehicles. Talk about tunnel vision!

ebxr8240 · 12-03-2002, 04:12

I'm definately with the truckies on this one!! What else can the truckies do ???

JG33PY · 12-03-2002, 14:59

so is the problem the guys driving the trucks..............or the unrealistic timetable set by the owners? good show but it will blow away like most things our great? nation stands up for.

Aussie Pete · 12-03-2002, 15:44

Over 100 truck drivers have dies so far this year so these guys want an action plan in place to save their lives. The problem is that the truck industry is self regulating via the 'Truck Safe' scheme and while a noble effort it is not universally adopted.

Carl Scully and his cronies have responded to the truck accidents by expanding the penalties for speeding trucks (see www.rta.nsw.gov.au press releases) when all of us in the game know that it's fatigue that kills your mates.

I have literally watched another truck leave the road in front of me and roll on its side - and it wasn't speed. He didn't make the turn because he fell asleep (approx 3am in the morning).

I can see it now. The cops turn up, see the truck missed the turn and tick the box saying speed caused him to miss the turn........

XWJG34 · 12-03-2002, 16:10

Quote:

Originally posted by Aussie Pete
I can see it now. The cops turn up, see the truck missed the turn and tick the box saying speed caused him to miss the turn........

Didn't you know??? Speed is the root of all evils (apparently)

Jamie XR6 · 12-03-2002, 17:25

I truly feel sorry for the truckies, they are victims of the transport company deadlines.

My uncle organised the nation wide blockade in the 70's and my family and I supported them by helping out with things like cooking.

Unfortunately with blockades, it not only puts out the companies and government. It upsets those car owners that don't care about anything but themselves that get caught up in it which doesn't do the cause any good.

I'm with the truckies though, and I hope the industry is reformed.

Aussie Pete · 12-04-2002, 14:24

Quote:

Originally posted by Jamie XR6
Unfortunately with blockades, it not only puts out the companies and government. It upsets those car owners that don't care about anything but themselves that get caught up in it which doesn't do the cause any good.

I'm with the truckies though, and I hope the industry is reformed.

Jamie:
That's why Gundagai is a great place to stage the blockade. Cars can still travel through Gundagai however trucks exceed the weight limit of the bridge.

At the end of the day, the Minister should meet with these people if they truly have a safety concern.

cracka · 12-14-2002, 17:25

MY apols this is a bit a long rave but having seen and worked first hand and talking with these men and women....it makes be sick..............yep alot of the truckies are made scape goats for the unscruptulous operators of the road transport industry.what with the company "imposed fines" etc....set arrival times...try driving a loaded b double one hand on the wheel one on ya old fella and aiming into 2 litre coke bottle for releif......agony.....also if these guys are really determined to get better and long overdue SAFE(ie.not falling asleep.. only to wake up as another 60+tonnes is 50 metres aways hurtling to u....swollowing 5 different coloured pills and the life of other innocent road users). one of the scariest scenes was at a new mine development a few years ago in CQ...fully loaded Bdouble came in haulin steel.....new it was comming and he was a day late...not his fault(read roads)..had walked the crane over and was set up...semi pulls in,,,,,,my doggy goes up to the cab this looks in the passenger side....looks in and jumps down...calls me on the radio,,,,this guy was a outta his head...and i means WHACKed...walked over to the cab he was so incoherrant ..i said hey mate.hey jumped about 2 foot in the air sayin we dragons and the like.....i just says yea ummmmmmm,,,got back in the crane and thought yea this good.......this guy and his mate where so out there....in the end we decided that with these space cowboys not willing listen to us etc it was unsafe to start lifting ,,,,the companies attitude...so f***in what......anyways they told them to leave the trailers and get off site....trailer will be towed off site and u can collect them........the doggy on the trailer found 4 used syringes.....whilst hooking up.....and i have a few more horror stories like this.......PLEASE PLEASE....in no way is this a flame against the truckies in way shape or form......but the road transport industry need a good looking into,,,,and not a half arsed attempt like we have seen b4,,,,,,,,and THE Transport Workers Union has been trying to get the owner operator to join up with them.....gradually more and more(owner/operators) are seeing the light of what a decent working Union can do to provide better working conditions and safety in an industry that needs to be cleaned up.......would hate to hear of a member of this forum on family drive and the unspeakable happens be cause of the $$$$$$$$$(LIVES) vs PROFITS attiude that has become the scurge of Road transport.....once again sorry to rave on....and as said not a flame against the truckers.....its the industry that is at fault....thanks for reading....cracka

Mother Nature · 12-15-2002, 03:44

cracka ....

I have to agree with you having lived this sort of thing first hand with my ex. Unfortunatley the government regulations that were meant to stamp out all the drug usage by drivers is not working. Log books are even asked for as fictional books at the RTA.

The smaller transport companies and the government are to blame for this.

The drivers are still pushed to the limits as AP has said & basically they are told if they dont want to drive the hours they will be replaced, so they either fall asleep or take the drugs.

I, as cracka, am not blaming the drivers themselves, as we all need to make a living, but what price do we pay???????? A drivers life, their families lives or Joe Blow driving innocently driving down the road minding his/ her own business?????????

The government MUST wake up & listen to these guys & gals who are punching up & down our highways while you, me & our polly's are tucked in our beds sound asleep(the thing our drivers need)........

How many more lives are going to be taken before Mr Scully wakes from his restfull slumber & realises

Aussie Pete · 12-15-2002, 22:03

I lived off coke (the soft dring - liquid speed we called it), coffee, and No Doz Plus tablets. Allw as okay as long as you learnt not to dodge the pink elephants dancing on the white lines. True stuff. I literally had to enforce reason with some of the stuff I saw.

One driving stint was 6pm through to 2pm the next day. That included breakdowns so I was still working but the Log Book was written up as rest of course.